Style Blogging from Buffalo

Archive for the ‘Music’ Category

If you’re looking for some fresh Spring beats, we highly recommend checking out Austrailia’s Tash Sultana.

At just twenty-one years of age, Tash is creating waves and generating massive street buzz by playing sold out shows all over the World. Tash has made a name for herself busking on the streets of Melbourne and having homemade videos go viral getting millions of views online.

Since having her hands wrapped around a guitar at the age of three, the self taught artist quickly developed her own unique style that has people lining up to see her perform live. Her vocal shines with a magical quality, she has a natural gift for melody and her virtuosic guitar playing is from another planet. Oh, and it’s just her on all the songs playing every instrument and looping all the beats. Check out the video of her recording her hit “Jungle” in her bedroom and give her debut album a listen below.

Welp, might as well kick off the Christmas Wish List with this bad boy. Today (Wednesday November 16th) at noon, Mondo will be releasing one of my all time favorite soundtracks, The Dust Brothers score to David Fincher’s masterpiece Fight Club.

Designed to the point of brilliance, the packaging boasts an array of references to the movie like destroying the initial housing to get the record out, Project Mayhem illustration manual, Paper Street Soap Co. branding throughout and of course, the LP’s are Fight Club Soap pink.

Read more about the release here and check out the unboxing video below.$35

With the warmer weather (hopefully) on its way here in Buffalo, it’s time to start listening to some more seasonally appropriate music. Some friends of mine from Vermont, The High Breaks, just released their first studio album “Droppin Off With… The High Breaks” and it is pure retro surf rock gold. The High Breaks aim for a very specific comfort level. By crafting traditional surf vibe and tone into an accessible instrumental story, the goal is to give the listener a sensation of being elsewhere. Think a mix of Dick Dale and The Centurians.

Dropping Off With… is currently available for digital download here and the band plans on using the proceeds to release a vinyl version of the album which, needless to say, will be the best way to experience to this album.

Well, the day we’ve been waiting for these past 26 years is finally here! October 21, 2015 the day Marty McFly traveled into the future and introduced the world to such incredible possibilities like hover boards, self lacing shoes, flying cars, and the Cubs winning the World Series. While the world waits with bated-breath for Nike to finally announce the release of their famous Self Lacing Air Mags which are sure to sell instantly, Mondo Tees is releasing a collection of Back To The Future vinyl records and posters which are sure to sell out just as quick. Featuring artwork by James Flames and Matt Taylor, this incredible collection is available as a whole or as individual pieces. A favorite of mine, with today being #FutureDay, would have to be the limited edition Back To The Future Part II Soundtrack. With an incredible cover and Air Mag inspired splatter print on the record, this album is a must have for Back To The Future fans. Check out the rest of the incredible release here, and be sure to head over to Mondo’s website to pre-order at 12pm CST today to get your hands on this incredible collection.

It’s a well documented fact on Buffalo Dandy’s Instagram account that we are big fans of vinyl. And one of the biggest nostalgic complaints about today’s digital age is the art of the “mixtape” is all but disappearing from the analog world. I myself take pride in crafting the perfect mix tape for the wife whether it be for birthday, holidays or anniversaries. Lately, however, it’s become easier to create/listen to these mixes on Spotify. I know what you’re thinking… society is crumbling.

Thankfully, the good folks over at Vinylify have come up with an incredible solution for those, like myself, who miss the subtle art of creating the perfect mixtape but also love vinyl. Cut by hand in their Amsterdam store, Vinylify converts your uploaded files or songs from their growing database into an playable, fully analog vinyl record! Using a combination of a technics 1210 MK2 turntable, and an audio rack that converts the digital sound into analog, the output is guaranteed to sound great on your turntable. Once the songs are uploaded, you then get to create your own personalized album artwork which is yet another one of the great aspects about vinyl and one of my favorite parts of creating a mix tape. Finally, your custom vinyl record is then shipped directly to your doorstep.

Naturally this custom service is going to cost slightly more than your average record, but seeing how this is a completely custom record made by you, the cost increase is fully justified in my eyes. Head on over to their website and start creating your own personal vinyl mix tape now!

Hip Hop has always been, throughout it’s existence, deeply intertwined with fashion. Whether it’s baggy pants, fitted hats, street goth, Adidas sneakers and Dookie chains, Hip Hop has been a reflection of (as well as a driving force behind) how people dress. Recently, much to our delight, a more Dandy approach to dress has been seeing an resurgence in the hip hop community, and no one more perfectly encapsulates that than Jidenna with his new song “Classic Man”.

While his look may more gentlemanly, Jidenna’s lyrics remind you that from time to time, one mustn’t be afraid to kick a little ass. The video features some of the most dapper man you will ever see in a rap video including Jidenna himself, who prefers bespoke suits, club collar shirts and a finger wave hairstyle more indicative of the Gatsby era of dress. Beginning as many Dandy’s do, by thrift shopping for suits and having them custom tailored, Jidenna refined his style through out the years thanks to an always impeccably dressed father. Signed to Janelle Monáe’s Wondaland Records, who is always perfectly dressed herself, Jidenna’s new song is sure to be a refreshing hit song for Summer. Check out the video below.

Fresh off the heels of the successful VINYL MANIA Record Convention comes this rather ingenious take on the classic turntable. The Floating Record Vertical Turntable takes the concept of displaying your vinyl while listening to it to a whole new level by literally turning it on it’s side. Using built-in, dynamic, full range stereo speakers (with an optional RCA line out) and the ability to quickly switch from 33 1/3 to 45 RPM, this space saving design also features an Audio Technica AT95E cartridge mounted on a carbon fiber tone-arm. Available in both American dark walnut and maple for a great vintage look, the turntable will not only enhance your listening experience, but is also sure to be a great conversation piece. Handmade in Chicago, the unit is ready to go right out of the box with very little set up, so both veterans and those just getting into vinyl can start listening right away.

Inspired by the Big Band Era of Jazz, Dandy Wellington and his Band have taken the sounds of the 1930’s and 40’s and created a world of well dressed music. With a passion for obscure songs steeped in the Jazz tradition, Dandy Wellington has assembled a catalog of music that invokes an atmosphere of class. From the golden age of cinema, to the bounce of New Orleans, each song is played to perfection by a band cut from the cloth of elegance.

One of (if not the) most famous of the modern Dandies, Dandy Wellington has been prominently featured in numerous publications, quite a few blogs and the quintessential piece of Dandy literature: I Am Dandy. While we haven’t had the good fortune of seeing his band perform live in person, imagine our delight to find out he and his band just released an album entitled Harlem Rhythm on iTunes!

When asked what the inspiration was behind the album, Dandy Wellington had this to say: “I thought those original tunes were some of the best songs to represent the band. They are the embodiment of my musical aesthetic and lyrically true to who I am. I do plan to release more original tunes soon. I have a great deal of ideas and I’m always writing.”

Harlem Rhythm features a selection of 4 upbeat tunes you can’t help but tap your feet to. Building momentum in the beginning with the title track “Harlem Rhythm” (an ode to Dandy’s hometown) and the sugary sweet love song “Honey Doo”, things slow down in the middle with a cover of “Dream a Little Dream of Me” (one of our favorites), but picks right back up in the end with “Greenhouse Stomp”. Each song features an impressive set of instrumental solos ranging from brass horns, clarinets, piano and even some Django-inspired guitar plucking, all of which flawlessly showcase the true talent of this band. It’s a great throwback sound perfect for enjoying on a Summer’s day.

Dandy Wellington & His Band: Harlem Rhythm is available for download on iTunes here.

It’s no secret that we’re big vinyl fans here at Buffalo Dandy, so naturally we’re excited to attend VINYL MANIA Vinyl Convention Night next Saturday. Held in the The Grand Ballroom of the American Legion Post #205 in Kenmore, the event boasts 35+ dealer tables covering 3,000 sq. ft. and will feature everything from records, CDs, stereo equipment and music memorabilia like posters, tees, books, collectibles and the like. With general admission just $3, we would highly recommend getting the early bird entry for $10 so you’re sure to get first dibs on the best stuff. A full cash bar and food will be available with The Mighty Hi-Fidelity Records spinning turns throughout the convention. A portion of the proceeds from VINYL MANIA will go to benefit MUSIC IS ART.

Ho boy, we’ve got a pretty stellar (and heavily leathered) Father’s Day Gift Guide for you this year on Buffalo Dandy! Our list is comprised of some items which every dad could use and enjoy from grilling and BBQ essentials, useful travel items, scotch and of course, vinyl.

The GrillTimer Watch:
The first one on the list quite possibly could be our favorite. After already doing our fair share of grilling this season, we were frustrated to find out that there wasn’t just a regular grill timing app so you could tell how long to cook your meat. Lo and behold, The GrillTimer Watch comes out and solves this problem in one of the most handsome looking (and affordable) ways possible. The thing looks like a Rolex for crying out loud! $50

Highland Park Dark Origins Scotch:
Dark Origins is inspired by the cunning spirit and courageous personality of Highland Park’s infamous founder, Magnus Eunson. This latest addition to the core expressions uses twice as many first fill sherry casks than in the classic Highland Park 12 year old resulting in a naturally darker, richer flavor. This is currently one of our favorite bottles of scotch. $80

Jack Spade Mitchell Leather Tie Canister:
Dad has to travel for work from time to time and this leather Jack Spade tie canister is a stylish way to store his neckties. The snap closure opens to a lined interior with 2 slots to keep tie bars. $178

Ursa Major Black Walnut Razor:
Handcrafted in Vermont from reclaimed black walnut, this Dandy-looking razor will look great nestled in Dad’s shaving station. It looks like these are currently sold out, but keep checking back for when they become available again because these are one of the best looking and affordable high-end razor’s we’ve seen. $36

J.W. Hulme Co. Leather Desk Valet:
Another gift for the Dad who has everything, why not get him something to store his everything in? A travel valet for personal items, this J.W. Hulme piece releases at brass buttons on the corners to fold flat for traveling. $95

Jayson Home Leather Coolers:OK, full disclosure, the guys and I are talking about going in on one of these, if only for the sole purpose of straight stunting at every outdoor event we go to ever. The lux version of an outdoor event staple, these incredible leather coolers come in 3 available sizes. Covered and stitched by hand, the coolers themselves are just regular Coleman models, so you get all the insulation and cold beverage keeping technology you need. The price is pretty soul crushing, but if you can afford it, I say go for it. $385–$1495

Discommon Goods Watch Wallet:Born from back-to-back trips across the globe, the Watch Wallet marries your most prized travel possessions – your watches and passport. The waxed Italian leather is full of character, and the tweed inner is a nod to Discommon Goods Scottish roots. However, the hidden geekery is the collaboration with D3O® impact protection. The entire wallet is lined with 3mm D3O® foam. This foam is the staple of the top ski, mountain bike and motorcycle impact protection systems – it stiffens and absorbs energy upon impact. $380

Leather Growler Holster for Cycling:
A must have item when attending any BLRC ride, this leather grower holder fits nicely on the rear part of your saddle, with several leather colors to choose from. You spent the money on that fancy Brooks Saddle, might as well make sure your beer looks just as good! $80

Chet Baker and Art Pepper “Playboys”:Currently enjoying some heavy rotation on our turntable, this classic album (and incredible artwork) makes a fine edition to any father’s record collection. The third album collaboration by Chet and Art, these thoroughly enjoyable and often high-energy sides are perfect for bop connoisseurs as well as mainstream jazz listeners. Hugh Hefner reportedly objected to the album cover (obviously inspired by Playboy magazine with its near-identical wordmark and pinup photo) and threatened to sue. $20

Lifestyle blogging from Buffalo where I live with my beautiful wife, our adorable french bulldog, a son who has a penchant for wearing capes and a beautiful baby girl who is practicing to be a debutante.